Richard is the eighth person to accuse Combs of sexual abuse
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Dawn Richard is suing Sean “Diddy” Combs for sexual abuse.
The 41-year-old musician, who rose to fame as a member of the Combs-formed girl group Danity Kane, filed a complaint in New York federal court on Sept. 10, alleging that the 54-year-old music mogul sexually and verbally abused her for nearly 10 years, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. She is the eighth person to accuse Combs of sexual abuse.
In the complaint, Richard claims Combs owes her an estimated $3.5 million in “unpaid salaries and royalties” for the first two albums released by the “Damaged” group — which also featured Aubrey O’Day, Shannon Bex, Wanita “D. Woods” Woodget and Aundrea Fimbres at the time — as well as “unpaid wages for touring on over 100 dates.”
Related: A Timeline of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Sexual Assault Allegations and Lawsuits
She also allegedly witnessed Combs physically assaulting multiple women, including his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura — who previously sued the Bad Boy Records founder for abuse and later settled — “on numerous occasions,” per the documents.
A rep for Combs did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs and Dawn Richard in June 2010
Richard and Combs began a working relationship when she was selected to join Danity Kane during season 3 of MTV’s Making the Band. Throughout filming for the show, according to the complaint, she experienced “aggressive and hostile behavior” from Combs, including “disparaging gender-based remarks” toward the members and comments about Richard’s physical appearance.
The complaint alleges Combs “deprived” the Danity Kane women “of basic needs such as adequate food and sleep” during seasons 3 and 4 of Making the Band and displayed “demeaning behavior,” which led Richard to experience “growing feelings of insecurity and fear of reprisal.”
Richard’s complaint alleges Combs used drugs on a regular basis and forced Danity Kane to “record and rehearse for stretches of 36 to 48 hours without breaks.”
“Forced to choose between eating and sleeping, Ms. Richard lost a significant amount of weight, weighing approximately 100 pounds at a height of 5’4”,” the documents claim. “Ms. Richard began to normalize these extreme conditions and perceive them as standard requirements of her participation in Danity Kane.”
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Sean “Diddy” Combs (middle) and Danity Kane in August 2007
Per the complaint, Combs “effectuated” Danity Kane’s early 2009 split, leaving Richard to endure “significant financial hardship” as she became unemployed. They continued working together, and he allegedly promised payment that never came.
The same year, Combs formed the group Diddy — Dirty Money with Richard and Kalenna Harper. During an early recording session for the trio’s Last Train to Paris album, per the documents, Richard witnessed Combs “scream” at Ventura while she was cooking and throw a “scalding hot pan of eggs” at the “Me & U” singer, “causing her to fall to the ground in a fetal position.”
Combs allegedly later warned Richard and Harper of “consequences” if they informed anyone of the violence toward Ventura and told them “people end up missing” for sharing such information.
Richard’s complaint alleges she attended a party thrown by Combs after the 2009 Soul Train Awards, where “dozens of young women and girls — some of whom appeared to be underage” — were in attendance while illegal drugs were consumed. Combs then engaged in sexual acts with some of the women and girls, according to the documents, many of whom “appeared lethargic or passed out.”
The complaint alleges that Richard attempted to leave the party and was asked to wait by another Combs’ employee, in order to remain inconspicuous. “Knowing that she was not free to leave and had to wait … Ms. Richard experienced feelings of panic and being trapped against her will,” the documents read.
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Dawn Richard in July 2024
Richard was “regularly placed” in similar situations at Combs’ parties, per the complaint, some of which she saw police officers attend, leading guests to feel as though law enforcement would not help them.
The documents claim Richard witnessed Combs abusing Ventura on numerous other occasions, leading her and Harper to try and help her out of the abusive situation. After learning of their attempted interference, per the complaint, “Mr. Combs screamed at the women: ‘Y’all bitches don’t get in my relationship,’ ‘Don’t tell my bitch [Ms. Ventura] what she need to be doing,’ ‘Just make money and shut the f— up,’ ‘I end artists,’ ‘I shelve careers,’ ‘You could be missing,’ and ‘You bitches want to die today,’ among other threats.”
Richard also claims Interscope Records executives witnessed Combs assault Ventura during a dinner, sometime around 2009 or 2010, before the recording company entered a deal with Combs’ Bad Boy Records.
During her time with Diddy — Dirty Money, Richard alleges she experienced similar grueling working conditions as when she was in Danity Kane, including food and sleep deprivation.
In 2010, per the complaint, Richard was “hospitalized and diagnosed with arthralgia (joint pain due to overuse, sprains, tendonitis and infection), anemia, and a low white blood cell count.” She allegedly informed Combs of the issues and emphasized the importance of a healthier lifestyle but was still expected to work at the same pace.
According to the documents, Richard faced sexual harassment and assault from Combs on numerous occasions. He allegedly ordered her to “strip down to her underwear,” made sexually charged comments and groped her buttocks and breasts in professional settings.
When Diddy — Dirty Money performed on Saturday Night Live in December 2010, Combs allegedly refused to transport Richard and Harper to a rehearsal space in New York City before verbally berating them in the lobby upon arrival.
Richard asked him to stop, per the documents, after which Combs nearly punched her — but security whisked her and Harper to a car and locked them inside with no way to escape. Harper was soon removed from the vehicle, but Richard was left inside the unheated car without her belongings.
“She began to feel cold and feared for her life, not knowing when or if she would be released,” reads the documents. Her father allegedly then drove to the location from Baltimore, ordered for her release and threatened to call police — leading to warnings from Combs, who later told Richard following SNL, “You don’t call your dad unless you’re in the hospital.”
The complaint alleges Richard never received compensation for her credits on songs she contributed to for Danity Kane and Diddy — Dirty Money. She was also allegedly never paid for a scrapped reboot of Making the Band or a collaboration for Combs’ The Love Album in 2023.
Richard is seeking “compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive and declaratory relief, attorney’s fees and costs, and other remedies as this Court may deem appropriate,” per the documents. She demands a trial by jury.
Lisa Bloom, an attorney for Richard, tells PEOPLE in a statement, “It is my honor to represent the talented and beloved artist Dawn Richard as she seeks justice against Sean Combs and other individuals and entities associated with Combs over the years she knew him.”
“Dawn had the option of filing as a Jane Doe but bravely chose to file in her true name,” continued Bloom’s statement. “We will not rest until we achieve full and complete justice for Dawn in this case.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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